84 AMERICAN HUSBANDRY. 



York ; and these soils are noted for their powers (A 

 absorption. Though the soil covering the rocks 

 may be but a few inches in depth, owing to this 

 quality it rarely fails of proving fertile, and excel- 

 lent for wheat. Experience, however, shows that 

 wheat may be made to grow on most lands, unless 

 the lightest and poorest sands be made an excep- 

 tion ; but on soils not naturally favourable, they 

 must be made fit by preparation and manures. 

 Where soils are too heavy or contain too much 

 clay, calcareous sand or gravel is one of the most 

 efficient alteratives ; and where it is too light and 

 silicious, the combination of marl is equally ef- 

 fectual. 



In determining the best manure for wheat lands 

 and the manner of its application, agricultural chym- 

 istry has done much for the farmer. In determining 

 the food of plants, it was necessary to discover their 

 constituents ; what they obtained from the air, and 

 what from the earth; what their peculiar qualities 

 were, and how their wants could be best supplied. 

 In analyzing wheat, it was found to contain, in great- 

 er quantities than any other plant used for food, the 

 peculiar principle of gluten, a substance nearly re- 

 sembling some kinds of animal matter ; and, as this 

 was an essential part of all good wheat, it became 

 desirable to ascertain how this food for the wheat- 

 plant could be obtained. It was found by experi- 

 ment, and from the nature of the chymical combina- 

 tions, that gluten was the result of tjfie action of lime 

 on animal matters ; and the natural inference was, 

 that lime and animal manures w^ould be the best for 

 the cultivatian of wheat, and the experience of farm- 

 ers in this case is supported by the united testi- 

 mony of Chaptal, Thaer, Davy, and Grisenwaithe. 

 Limo, by common consent, is considered essentia] 

 to the production of good wheat. Heavy straw 

 may be grown without it by the aid of other ma- 

 nures ; but the berry will be defective, and the flour, 



